VANCOUVER, BC – Despite a year-long waiting list for an entire year, budgetary restraints have forced BC’s principal diagnostic and treatment centre to bar further referrals of adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, while they do a “review” of the program with no target completion date. The clinic, located at Children’s Hospital (CWH) had been accepting adult patients for only two years, during which time its adult caseload had grown to 50 per cent of its patient total.

“Overwaitea’s recent pledge to raise $20 million for CWH is welcome news,” says Vancouver Adult ADD Support Group spokesman Pete Quily, “but it’s ironic the announcement came almost at the same time as the axe fell on the hospital’s adult ADHD facility.”

Quily says the effective closure of the adult clinic will leave hundreds, if not thousands of BC adults with untreated ADHD with few places to turn for help in what can become “ … a devastating illness.” He said untreated ADHD can and often does lead to “co-morbid” conditions, such as substance abuse (as a means of self-medication), depression and anxiety. Some develop anti-social behaviour.

“Adult ADHD is a condition that an estimated five per cent of North Americans have,” says Quily. “Unlike its better-known precursor – childhood ADHD – adult ADHD is widely unknown and largely ignored. With an already severe shortage of diagnostic and treatment facilities, closure of the CWH clinic will make it even more difficult for adults with ADHD to enjoy a normal, happy and productive life.”

According to Quily, adult ADHD is eminently treatable, through a combination of medication, coaching and/or counseling. “It’s unfortunate, however, that the main obstacle for adults is accurate diagnosis,” he said. “It’s true that although some psychiatrists are trained to recognize and treat the condition in children, relatively few have expertise in diagnosing or treating Adult ADHD. This is also true of psychologists and primary care physicians. The loss of BC’s main diagnostic and treatment centre is a severe blow.”

It’s estimated that 60-80 per cent of children and adolescents with ADHD continue with the condition into adulthood. Properly diagnosed and treated, however, Quily says the condition can often have a positive outcome. “With recognition and treatment, the restless energy that often accompanies the condition can be harnessed and turned to advantage. “He named JetBlue Airlines founder and billionaire David Neeleman – credited with the invention of electronic ticketing – as an example. “Two of several ADHD symptoms are restlessness and impulsivity,” he said. “Neeleman couldn’t bear standing in airport line-ups and set about developing a better way.”

This will be sent out to BC media outlets. Do you think it’s a good idea to shut down the province’s only public adult ADHD clinic especially when the demand is so high?

Hopefully people with ADHD and their families, friends and work colleagues will contact their MLA’s see the BC MLA finder and demand that the province either adequately fund the adult ADHD clinic at children’s hospital or create a separate adult ADHD clinic at another location since it seems like an adult clinic at a children’s hospital is politically vulnerable. You can contact your local media outlet or blog.
You can also contact the BC premier, Gordon Campbell premier@gov.bc.ca ph 604 660-3202

There also needs to be a campaign to educate the public and medical professionals who diagnose and treat adult ADHD about the condition in BC let alone the rest of the country. Even if you can get diagnosed at the clinic and started on ADHD medication they don’t do follow up, they send you to your family doctor. I’ve heard far too many stories of ADDers complaining that they have to educate their doctors on ADHD meds, (since few were adequately taught about ADHD in University) which shouldn’t happens especially when their are great free resources like CADDRA’s 2006 ADHD Guidelines

If ADDers don’t demand services, no one will do it for us. Most other people don’t care and won’t get involved. Do you have any ideas on how to save the ONLY public ADHD clinic in BC? Are you willing to get involved in helping out? if so email me at pete AT addcoach4u.com